The present invention relates to a measuring device for measuring a multiple number of points on an object to be measured at the same time and for acquiring point group data.
For the purpose of acquiring three-dimensional data of an object to be measured, it is generally practiced to acquire point group data on the object to be measured. As one of the measuring devices to acquire the point group data, a laser scanner is known. For instance, JP-A-2008-76303 discloses a laser scanner, which comprises a deflection mirror to be rotated in elevation (high-low) direction around a horizontal axis and to be rotated in horizontal direction around vertical axis, and a projecting light optical system having an optical axis concurring with the vertical axis and for projecting a pulsed distance measuring light along the optical axis.
In this laser scanner, the pulsed distance measuring light emitted from the projecting light optical system is projected reciprocally for scanning at predetermined angles to each other in elevation direction by using the deflection mirror. Then, by rotating the deflection mirror, the pulsed distance measuring light is projected in total circumferential direction, or, a reflected light of the pulsed distance measuring light is received, and distance is measured for each of the pulsed distance measuring lights, and point group data in total circumferential direction is acquired.
The laser scanner as described above is installed on a mobile object such as an automobile together with an image pickup device. By acquiring images and the point group data while moving, images with three-dimensional data is obtained.
On the other hand, the laser scanner as described above may be costly, and a measuring device, which is lower-priced and can acquire the point group data in simpler manner is desired.